


let's drink to feelings of temptation

by shrdmdnssftw



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shop, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-20
Updated: 2013-01-20
Packaged: 2017-11-26 05:25:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/647035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shrdmdnssftw/pseuds/shrdmdnssftw
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Four times Harry gets Louis' drink wrong, and one time he gets it right.</p>
            </blockquote>





	let's drink to feelings of temptation

**Author's Note:**

> For a prompt, "how about a point in their relationship where Harry knows exactly how Louis likes his breakfast/tea", except I can't write canon fic for this pairing so!  
> On a scale of one to ten, my knowledge of beverages that aren't water or milk is about... a three, maybe. Apologies for this.
> 
> Title is unrelated and taken from _A Party Song (The Walk of Shame)_. And yes, I should be working on my Big Bang, thanks for reminding me.
> 
> Also on [LJ](http://shrdmdnssftw.livejournal.com/21770.html).

_one  
_ The first time Harry makes Louis' tea, it's not Louis' tea at all. It's very possible that Harry takes advantage of his job as barista at the local coffee shop in order to get the names of cute guys, but he honestly, sincerely enjoys his job too.

Of course, the day that Louis' first comes in, this whirlwind of colour, and noise, and _energy_ , Harry can't help himself, turning his smile on full beam, and knowing that his dimple is enough to draw in any crowd.

That's before he notices the phone tucked under the customer's ear though, chattering away to whoever's on the other line while waiting in line, and only pausing when he gets to the front of the queue to order his drink.

Harry's spirits don't dampen, though, manages to get a name amongst the change that is slipped into his hand, and draws a little smile on the cardboard cup ( _to go, thanks_ ). Feeling a little bit more daring, he scribbles a quick note, glancing over the machine to check that the customer, that Louis, isn't watching. 

He finishes the drink, passes it over to Niall to pass over the counter, and makes sure Louis catches his eye as he walks out the door. Harry reckons that maybe his message will work.

The next day, a guy comes walking in, the sort that seems to be always smiling, or at least, always trying to make others smile. He scrubs his hand over his head as he reaches the counter, fingers brushing against the shorn hairs and smiles a little awkwardly.

Harry greets him with a cheery smile, and, "How can I help you today?"

"I, uh." The guy smiles again. "My coffee cup? Told me to come here again? Which is funny because I've never really been here but-"

He passes the cup over, folded out and dry now, but Harry's scrawl across the surface - _i don't normally do this but if you ever feel like another drink, come in. my treat._

And that's just Harry's luck, because apparently he can't even give away free coffee to the people he means to. As it goes, the person standing in front of him seems nice enough, is apparently nice enough to buy tea for, and so Harry smiles anyway.

"Sure thing-"

"Oh, um, Liam. I'm Liam, hi."

He holds his hand out for Harry to shake and Harry takes it, smiles and tries to hold back his laugh when Liam clearly doesn't expect the strong squeeze that Harry does. 

"So, Liam, what'll it be?"

-

 _two_  
Somehow, Harry doesn't see Louis again until Liam becomes a regular at the shop. Harry never really does say that the message was for Louis, avoids it since apparently neither Liam nor Louis picked up on it. Having Liam come back is good business too, since apparently the guy does nothing but write and mainline coffee, both of which he can "actually do in this blessed solitude."

Harry kind of wants to always laugh at what Liam's saying, nicely, of course. And with Liam comes his friends, an array of people from dancers that Harry's pretty sure he's seen on TV to musicians to authors, and once, someone who looked so out of place in a coffee shop, Harry had felt an urge to buy some kittens to counter the  _wrong_ feeling that lingered.

Eventually, this array includes Louis. Harry's taken a break, left Niall to sort out the pastry cabinet, which is always a mixed bag. Half the time, he'll come back and it's spick and span, and the other half, Niall will have eaten the chocolate croissants that are meant to go in between the profiteroles and the caramel tarts.

Liam's sat in one of the couches (his couch, as his status as a regular will now allow him to say), and Harry drapes himself over Liam's shoulder, glancing at the composition notebook open. Humming a bit of what's written, Liam quirks an eyebrow. 

"You play anything?"

Harry smiles, half an answer. "I dabble. Mostly singing."

Liam takes it in, doesn't say anything in response, except to flip through the pages and open it on a complete piece, or so Harry thinks.

"This one's a bit more interesting, I think," he says and passes his notebook over, even though he's probably working on what Harry'd seen open.

That's the kind of guy Liam is, Harry's found. He'll drop anything in a second, just to make sure that someone else has the chance to be happy too. Or something.

Harry tries it on for size, skim reads for a rough idea of the melody before trying to open his mouth and sing.

"Baby, I, I wanna know-"

Before he can sing much more though, a laugh rings out, and Harry looks up to see Louis approaching the two of them.

"Really, Liam, recruiting people off the street now?"

Harry pulls a face, mock offended, and Louis has the decency to look mildly ashamed.

"No offence meant, love, only that Liam needs to start being confident enough to sing his own music, yeah?"

Liam shushes Louis, and Louis grins, almost manically. He makes a running start, and Harry only moves himself out of the way just in time for Louis to tackle hug Liam. 

"I say these things out of love," Louis cries, and he's got Liam squeezed now, hugged tight.

Harry gets up to leave, almost sure that he's interrupting something (and of course they're dating, because who else do you get tea for, and tackle hug, and poke fun at, and that's possibly Louis' mouth on Liam's neck). Before he can get far though, Liam calls Harry back.

"Hey, you're still on break right?" 

A quick glance at the clock tells him he's got maybe a minute left before he's meant to check on Niall, but it can't hurt, and the shop's not too busy besides.

"It's just, I want you to meet Louis, my best mate. Louis, this is Harry, the best barista."

Harry smiles brightly at that, possibly more at the "best mate" rather than being properly introduced. If they're not dating, Harry's much more keen to spend time around them.

"Best barista, hey?" Louis says with a smile. "So you can do that mind meld thing?"

Liam quirks an eyebrow, and Harry laughs. "Maybe. What do I get if I guess your drink right?"

"I'll let Liam come in again, even though he's practically got me living on my own, in our little flat. He won't even see the kids any more!"

Harry's 98% sure it's dramatics, especially what with Liam's put-upon face, and so he leaves his smiling quirked. "I'll do my very best then. You shouldn't keep Liam all to yourself."

In the centre of all of this, Liam has returned to his notebook, back to the open page that Harry'd tried to sing, and he's making little notes.

"I gotta go then, if I want to get this right," says Harry, and he stands up. "One drink, coming right up."

Louis smiles back at him, and Harry lets his mind wander. 

-

When he brings the drink to Louis, he puts it in a travel cup, covers the top so that Louis can't see what he's prepared.

"You're not allergic to anything though?" Harry asks anxiously, a split second before Louis takes a sip.

Lowering the cup, he looks at Harry over the lip. "Only seriousness," he replies, a straight face.

"Oh," Harry says brightly. "Good thing there's none of that in there."

Louis smiles, and takes a sip, Harry watching his face carefully to gauge his reaction.

Of course, that means that Louis' face falls, almost imperceptibly, but Harry still catches it. And it's stupid, but Harry was so sure, so very sure that Louis would like the hot cocoa blend that he and Niall'd made up, that the slightly bitter, slightly sweet beverage would be just right for Louis, but apparently not.

"You don't like cocoa, do you?" Harry asks, and Louis puts his drink down.

"It's not that I don't like it but-"

"Damn, Harry, of all the drinks," and Liam's voice startles him, Harry completely having forgotten that he was still there. 

"Liam, shut up," Louis hisses, but Liam obviously doesn't hear.

"Don't take it personally, it's just - Louis' one of those people. You know, mummy's boys."

Louis looks just about ready to tackle Liam again, smother his mouth with his hand, and the absolute mirth in Liam's eyes is enough to make Harry feel less bad.

"Promised his mum that her cocoa is the best, so now he doesn't try to drink new hot chocolates, just in case hers isn't as nice." Liam smirks, like he's got one more thing caught up his sleeve.

"That's enough now Liam," Louis says, and attempts to talk over the top of him. "It is nice, Harry, it's just-"

"Not your mum's, yeah, I get it mate," Harry replies. He nods towards the drink, as if to ask if he should take it away, and Louis shakes his head. 

"Nah, I'll still have it. How much do I owe you?"

Harry smiles. "For a story as sweet as that? Consider it on the house."

"I can't, honestly, how much-"

And Liam manages to get a word in edgewise, speaks a bit louder. "Yeah, wouldn't want your mum hearing your bad manners, would we, boo be-"

Before Liam can even finish his words, though, Louis' got a firm hand clamped over Liam's mouth, and is smiling desperately at Harry. "Don't listen to a word he says, honestly, Harold."

"Harry," he corrects, but somehow he doesn't mind the slip too much, not from Louis.

"He's a horrid liar," continues Louis. From the way his hand jumps a little, Harry'd wager that Liam just licked Louis' hand, but still, he doesn't budge.

"I should go back to work then," Harry says, instead of responding to any of it. "Hope it's not too bad, the cocoa."

"It's nice," Louis says. He says it almost sadly, as if he'd _like_ to compliment the drink if he could. Harry smiles and gets back up, to walk behind the counter.

As he leaves, he hears Louis yelp, and turns to see Liam still pinching Louis' side. It devolves into a play-fight straight away, and somehow, Harry can't help but smile at them.

-

 _three_  
The next time Harry sees Louis, it's not actually at the coffee shop. As much as he'd like to, Harry does not live inside the place, doesn't sleep between the bags of dark roast and decaf and is occasionally convinced by Niall to join him at a party.

It's usually hosted by a friend of a friend of Niall, or a friend of a classmate of someone Niall served the other day, and Harry's happy enough to go along, so long as it's relatively close to home. As much as going out is fun, he likes knowing he'll be able to make it back home before sunrise.

Given the degrees of separation between Harry and the person hosting the party, more often than not, he'll spend his time trying to meet people, rather than bumping into those he already knows. He's thoroughly surprised, then, when he bumps into Louis in the kitchen while fetching his and Niall's drinks.

"Fancy seeing you here then," Harry says, and he smiles at Louis, wide.

"Harry!" Louis says, and he greets him rather enthusiastically. "'Course I'm here! It's my mate's place, actually, promised him I'd show up."

"Cool," replies Harry, for lack of anything else to say.

He's reached the fridge now, a little more hesitant to grab a drink when Louis' standing right there, and when he knows Louis knows the owner of the flat, but Louis just sighs. 

"Pretty sure Zayn doesn't mind you taking some drinks, Haz. It's kind of the point of stocking the fridge."

Harry can't help but smile at the nickname, and so he opens the fridge, grabs a bottle of beer for Niall and a breezer for himself. 

"Oh, and can you grab me something too?" Louis says, and Harry has a moment, because what if he gets Louis' drink wrong again?

"Sure thing," Harry says anyway, because he feels like he should at least try. "Anything in particular?"

"Just get me whatever you're having, maybe?" replies Louis, voice closer now and when Harry grabs another bottle, and hipchecks the door, he turns around to find Louis right in front of him.

And it's not that the kitchen is tiny, because there's certainly enough room for the two of them, and more besides, but Harry feels like he's close to Louis, pressed up in spaces. He almost forgets the drinks, but remembers in time to lift one up at Louis and show him.

"Really?" Louis asks, and he quirks a smile. "Wouldn't've picked you for the type."

He grabs the bottle anyway, and takes a drink, and it's only when Harry tears his eyes away from the shifting muscles in Louis' neck as he swallows, that he realises he's passed over Niall's dark brew beer.

"That's," sputters Louis as he pulls a face. "That's something different, Harry. Usually go for something sweeter, m'self."

And Harry wants to laugh, because he's got possibly the fruitiest drinks in his hands still, that he's managed to stuff up Louis' drink. 

At that moment, though, Niall turns up, looking for his drink, and Harry has to open the fridge door again to fetch another beer for Niall.

First passing the beer to Niall, Harry then swaps out the drink in Louis' hand for the one he meant to give him.

"Was meant to give you this originally," Harry says, leaning closer to Louis as Niall moves to inspect the fridge for his own purposes. "I'll finish this though, so it doesn't go to waste."

Louis' got this quirky smile on his face, like he's endeared, and Harry finds himself liking that. "Cheers, Harry. You're a great guy."

He lifts up the bottle, tilts the neck towards Harry's beer and Harry moves so that the glass clinks together. "Cheers, Lou."

-

 _four_  
Somehow, Harry ends up seeing Louis much more often; he'll pop into the coffee shop when Harry's got a shift, or will be at the next party of Zayn's, since Niall's made a habit of attending now.

In fact, Harry'd go so far as to call them friends, has had Louis draped over his lap enough times to think that they're close enough now. It's how he is at the moment, as they sit out in the park. Liam'd insisted they all get some fresh air, and both Niall and Harry were off shift, Aiden coming in to cover for the afternoon crowd.

He's packed a nice little lunch for the four of them, but put Niall and Harry in charge of drinks. Harry likes coffee well enough, but he doesn't quite think it appropriate for the sandwiches and sliced fruit spread that Liam's got going on. Instead, he and Niall have packed a cold thermos of iced tea, peach flavour, and some fresh water besides.

Louis' got his head in Harry's lap, and it's all Harry can do to not play with his hair, feel if it's as feathery or as light as it looks. As it is, he drops his hands onto Louis' torso, lets his fingers span Louis' chest and feel the rise and fall of his breath.

"Cozy there?" Liam asks, and Louis pokes his tongue out, not bothering to move his head, or remove the sunglasses from his eyes. 

"Harry's comfy," Louis replies, and Harry tickles Louis' side for that.

"Oi, are you calling me fat?" he says, laughing.

"No, just. Comfy." 

With that, Louis snuggles into Harry a bit more, and Harry resigns himself to not getting up soon.

They sit like that, under the shade of a tree, for a while, Liam prattling off something about a song he's writing, and Niall nodding along. Harry knows that Niall plays the guitar, wants to help Liam learn and so he lets the two of them ramble on. He thinks Louis' probably fallen asleep, almost unmoving in Harry's lap, but when he leans closer to check, Louis whispers a _boo_.

Managing not to tip Louis off his lap, Harry laughs, one from his tummy, and he can feel all the ways that this is fun. Louis' smiling back up at him, and it's rather nice, all this that's going on.

"Hey," Louis says, interrupting their laughter.

"Hi," Harry replies, a little goofily.

"Hello," says Louis. He moves so that he's no longer got his head in Harry's lap, sitting up on his knees in front of Harry. Louis takes off his sunglasses too, tucking them so they rest in the scooped neck of his shirt. "Can I ask you to get me something?"

He's got this coy little smile on his face, like he knows Harry would pretty much do anything for Louis right now, and so Harry nods. 

"A glass of tea then? Or will it just be water for you?"

Louis shakes his head, shuffles a bit closer to Harry. "No, not a drink- I-"

And Harry turns away from the drinks next to him, faces Louis. "What can I get you then, Lou?"

"A kiss, maybe?" he replies and Harry can't stop the smile that spreads on his lips.

"From you, preferably," Louis tacks on the end, and Harry smiles.

"Maybe? Preferably? You oughta be more assertive, Lou," jokes Harry.

"Fine," Louis says. "Can you please give me a kiss, Harry?"

Leaning forward, ignoring the way that Liam and Niall have fallen silent, Harry waits until he's a hairsbreadth away from Louis to say, "Of course."

He presses forward, feels the soft of Louis lips and the rough of Louis' slight stubble, the warmth of the sun and the cool breeze playing with his hair. He can feel the way Louis wants to lean more into the kiss but also the way he's playing it cool.

When the pull apart, Louis' still got this grin on his face, one that Harry's sure he's mimicking. 

"I'll have that water now, if it's all the same," Louis says, and Harry fetches it with a happy smile.

-

 _and one_  
Louis refuses to go into the coffee shop. Ever since Zayn and Niall started having parties that they joint hosted, and that Louis had to deal with, as Zayn's best mate, he says he hears enough of Niall's Bieber covers to last him a lifetime.

"But Louis," Harry whines and he almost wants to drag Louis back inside, instead of standing here in the back alleyway, the chill starting to creep up on them. "I swear, he's a lot better when he's not drunk."

"No he's not!" Louis replies. "He's just as bad. Worse, because he remembers the lyrics."

He's got a little frown set on his lips and Harry itches to kiss it off, until he remembers he _can_. Pressing one softly on Louis' lips until he starts to smile again, Harry laughs.

"And I'm pretty sure you were singing the entire Spice Girls' catalogue at Liam last Friday."

"'s not the same," Louis mutters.

"It is. Now come inside, please? I'll even give you a drink. On the house."

"Tea?" asks Louis and Harry nods. 

"You'll have to tell me how you like it, though. Still haven't quite got it right."

Louis smiles at him and Harry returns it. "So long as you make it," Louis says, "I'll think it's pretty damn perfect."

-

When they finally get inside, Louis' lips, cheeks and neck are red, and not just from the chill. Harry's got his fingers intertwined with Louis, and it probably breaks an awful lot of rules, but he pulls him behind the bar, gets them making tea together, and Harry thinks that, yeah, this is pretty perfect.


End file.
